Versus

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap Versus La Mer The Cleansing Gel

Face Cleanser
Face Cleanser
American Brand United States
American Brand United States

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe face cleansers. They have a total of 11 ingredients in common

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for dry skin and sensitive skin

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols or parabens

What's Inside

They both contain sulfates

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and see relevant ingredients

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap 23 ingredients

La Mer The Cleansing Gel 39 ingredients

About this product

About this product

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap 23 ingredients

La Mer The Cleansing Gel 39 ingredients

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

found in both products
The Cleansing Gel

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

Cleansing, Emulsifying, Foaming

Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) is a foaming, cleansing, and emulsifying ingredient. It is created from palm kernel oil or coconut oil. SLES is not the same as sodium lauryl sulfate. It is much milder and less likely to irritate.

SLES helps create foam in personal products. It also prevents ingredients from separating, helping to elongate the shelf life.

Sodium Laureth Sulfate is a type of sulfate. It can be drying. We recommend speaking with a professional about using this ingredient if you have concerns.

Learn more about Sodium Laureth Sulfate
Masking

Chances are, you eat sodium chloride every day. Sodium Chloride is also known as table salt.

This ingredient has many purposes in skincare: thickener, emulsifier, and exfoliator.

You'll most likely find this ingredient in cleansers where it is used to create a gel-like texture. As an emulsifier, it also prevents ingredients from separating.

There is much debate on whether this ingredient is comedogenic. The short answer - comedogenic ratings don't tell the whole story. Learn more about comegodenic ratings here.

The concensus about this ingredient causing acne seems to be divided. Research is needed to understand if this ingredient does cause acne.

Scrubs may use salt as the primary exfoliating ingredient.

Learn more about Sodium Chloride
Cleansing, Skin Conditioning

Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is a synthetic cleansing agent, though it is derived from coconut oil.

It is used to enhance the texture of products by boosting lather and thickening the texture. As a cleanser, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine is mild.

We don't have a description for Sodium Cocoyl Sarcosinate yet.

Humectant, Skin Conditioning, Soothing

Sucrose is a natural sugar found in fruits, vegetables, and nuts. It is the main constituent of white sugar.

In skincare, sucrose is a humectant and can be a mild exfoliant.

Sucrose is hydrophilic, meaning it attracts water. This makes it an effective humectant and helps hydrate the skin.

Studies show sugars may worsen acne-prone skin due to it disrupting the skin's natural biome. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have any concerns.

In some products such as body scrubs, sucrose is used as an gentle exfoliant.

The term 'sucrose' comes from the french word for sugar, 'sucre'.

Learn more about Sucrose
Humectant, Masking, Skin Conditioning

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

  • It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
  • It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
  • It helps improve product application.
  • It has mild preservative properties.

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning, Solvent

Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant. Glycols are a class of alcohols. Hexylene Glycol is a surfactant and emulsifier.

As a surfactant, Hexylene Glycol helps gather dirt and oil on your skin to be washed away.

As an emulsifier, Hexylene Glycol helps keep water and oil together. This prevents them from separating in a product. Hexylene Glycol also thins out the texture of a product by lessening viscosity.

Hexylene Glycol has a small molecular weight.

Learn more about Hexylene Glycol
Emollient, Humectant, Skin Conditioning

Caprylyl Glycol is a humectant and emollient, meaning it attracts and preserves moisture.

It is a common ingredient in many products, especially those designed to hydrate skin. The primary benefits are retaining moisture, skin softening, and promoting a healthy skin barrier.

Though Caprylyl Glycol is an alcohol derived from fatty acids, it is not the kind that can dry out skin.

This ingredient is also used as a preservative to extend the life of products. It has slight antimicrobial properties.

Learn more about Caprylyl Glycol

EDTA is the shortened name for ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid. It is a chelating agent and used to stabilize products.

Chelating Agents are used to prevent trace metal ions from binding to other ingredients. This can prevent unwanted reactions or changed efficacy of products.

Disodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.

It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.

Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.

Learn more about Disodium EDTA
Preservative

Phenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.

It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.

When to use

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap 23 ingredients

La Mer The Cleansing Gel 39 ingredients

160 Routines
48% use in am
53% use in pm
98% use every day
When to use See routines that use it ->
9 Routines
44% use in am
56% use in pm
100% use every day

Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

Clinique Liquid Facial Soap 23 ingredients

2.8 /5
from 4 ratings
Doesn't Work (1) Drying (1) Expensive (1)

Stung my eyes (and I didn't put any in my eyesπŸ˜”)

#expensive
#sticky
#light scent
RAINSTORM's avatar

RAINSTORM

5 months ago
Review

(for context i have very dry sensitive-ish acne prone skin) did nothing for me literally didnt clean my skin that well, it was kind of drying not too drying though but literally did nothing its a very light barely there cleanse every time i used it.

#doesn't work

La Mer The Cleansing Gel 39 ingredients

5.0 /5
from 1 rating
cgervasi's avatar

cgervasi

1 year ago
Review

Keeps oiliness at bay